Reduced Graphene Oxide-WO3 Hybrid Nanostructures for Improved Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity

Reduced graphene oxide-WO3 hybrid nanostructures (RGW) have been prepared by a facile hydrothermal method and a postreatment with ethylene acohol as a reducing agent. The precursor graphene oxide results in the formation of shorter WO3 nanobelts and these hybrid nanostructures shows improved visible light photocatalytic activity compared with pure WO3. The pseudo-first-order rate constant of methylene blue degradation on RGW-1% is up to twice that of pure WO3. The Photoelectrochemical properties study shows electron transfer between WO3 and reduced graphene oxide prevents the recombination of electrons and holes and increases the photocatalytic activity of reduced graphene oxide-WO3 hybrid nanomaterials.